Category: Museums

“Developing Practices for FAIR and Linked Data in Heritage Science”


Heritage Science has a lot to gain from the Open Science movement but faces major challenges due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field, as a vast array of technological and scientific methods can be applied to any imaginable material. Historical and cultural contexts are as significant as the methods and material properties, which is something the scientific templates for research data management rarely take into account. While the FAIR data principles are a good foundation, they do not offer enough practical help to researchers facing increasing demands from funders and collaborators. In order to identify the issues and needs that arise “on the ground floor”, the staff at the Heritage Laboratory at the Swedish National Heritage Board took part in a series of workshops with case studies. The results were used to develop guides for good data practices and a list of recommended online vocabularies for standardised descriptions, necessary for findable and interoperable data. However, the project also identified areas where there is a lack of useful vocabularies and the consequences this could have for discoverability of heritage studies on materials from areas of the world that have historically been marginalised by Western culture. If Heritage Science as a global field of study is to reach its full potential this must be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01598-x

| Artificial Intelligence |
| Research Data Curation and Management Works |
| Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works |
| Open Access Works |
| Digital Scholarship |

“Datafication and Cultural Heritage Collections Data Infrastructures: Critical Perspectives on Documentation, Cataloguing and Data-sharing in Cultural Heritage Institutions”


The role of cultural heritage collections within the research ecosystem is rapidly changing. From often-passive primary source or reference point for humanities research, cultural heritage collections are now becoming integral part of large-scale interdisciplinary inquiries using computational-driven methods and tools. This new status for cultural heritage collections, in the ‘collections-as-data’ era, would not be possible without foundational work that was and is still going on ‘behind the scenes’ in cultural heritage institutions through cataloguing, documentation and curation of cultural heritage records. This article assesses the landscape for cultural heritage collections data infrastructure in the UK through an empirical and critical perspective, presenting insights on the infrastructure that cultural heritage organisations use to record and manage their collections, exploring the range of systems being used, the levels of complexity or ease at which collections data can be accessed, and the shape of interactions between software suppliers, cultural heritage organisations, and third-party partners. The paper goes on to include a critical analysis of the findings based on the sector’s approach to ‘3s’, that is standards, skill sets and scale, and how that applies to different cultural heritage organisations throughout the data lifecycle, from data creation, stewardship to sharing and re-using.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.277

| Artificial Intelligence |
| Research Data Curation and Management Works |
| Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works |
| Open Access Works |
| Digital Scholarship |

“Copyright and Licencing for Cultural Heritage Collections as Data”


Cultural Heritage (CH) institutions have been exploring innovative ways to publish digital collections to facilitate reuse, through initiatives like Collections as data and the International GLAM Labs Community. When making a digital collection available for computational use, it is crucial to have reusable and machine-readable open licences and copyright terms. While existing studies address copyright for digital collections, this study focuses specifically on the unique requirements of collections as data. This research highlights both the legal and technical aspects of copyright concerning collections as data. It discusses permissible uses of copyrighted collections, emphasising the need for interoperable, machine-readable licences and open licences. By reviewing current literature and examples, this study presents best practices and examples to help CH institutions better navigate copyright and licencing issues, ultimately enhancing their ability to convert their content into collections as data for computational research.

https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.263

| Artificial Intelligence |
| Research Data Curation and Management Works |
| Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works |
| Open Access Works |
| Digital Scholarship |

WorldFAIR Project (D13.2) Cultural Heritage Image Sharing Recommendations Report


Deliverable 13.2 aims to build on our understanding of what it means to support FAIR in the sharing of image data derived from GLAM collections. This report looks at previous efforts by the sector towards FAIR alignment and presents 5 recommendations designed to be implemented and tested at the DRI that are also broadly applicable to the work of the GLAMs. The recommendations are ultimately a roadmap for the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) to follow in improving repository services, as well as a call for continued dialogue around "what is FAIR?" within the cultural heritage research data landscape.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7897243

| Research Data Curation and Management Works |
| Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works |
| Open Access Works |
| Digital Scholarship |

"Emulation Practices for Software Preservation in Libraries, Archives, and Museums"

https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24482

Research Data Curation Bibliography, Version 10 | Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Open Access Works | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

"Emulation Encounters: Software Preservation in Libraries, Archives, and Museums"

https://tinyurl.com/y3y983tr

Research Data Curation Bibliography, Version 10 | Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Open Access Works | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

WordPress Plugin for Publishing Location-Based Tours and Stories: "New NEH Grant for PlacePress"

https://tinyurl.com/y2266x3t

Research Data Curation Bibliography, Version 10 | Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Open Access Works | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

WIPO: Report on Copyright Practices and Challenges of Museums

The World Intellectual Property Organization has released the Report on Copyright Practices and Challenges of Museums.

Here's an excerpt:

At the request of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), WIPO has carried out a research project with the objective of examining copyright practices and challenges of museums in fulfilling their missions and activities.. . .In this context, the author and the SCCR Secretariat interviewed 37 museums worldwide with different types of collections and activities, as well as other key stakeholders.

Academic Library as Scholarly Publisher Bibliography | Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Open Access Works | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

Metropolitan Museum of Art Puts Images of Public Domain Artworks under Creative Commons Zero (CC0) License

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has put images of public domain artworks under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) License.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

This morning, we announced a major update to the Museum's policy governing the use and reuse of images in our collection: all images of public-domain artworks in the Museum's collection are now available for free and unrestricted use under Creative Commons Zero (CC0). This updated policy, known as Open Access, enables everyone to utilize more than 375,000 images of public-domain artworks in The Met's collection in any media without permission or fee.

See also: "Introducing Open Access at The Met."

Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Open Access Works | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

Report of the Summit on Digital Curation in Art Museums

Johns Hopkins University has released the Report of the Summit on Digital Curation in Art Museums.

Here's an excerpt:

In October of 2015, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Museum Studies Program convened a group of cultural heritage professionals to discuss digital curation, its integration into the art museum community, and the role the JHU Program in Digital Curation might play in this effort. Attendees included representatives from museums, libraries, archives, foundations, and the JHU Museum Studies Program.

The meeting took place over two days. The first day and a half included a series of short presentations that addressed innovative projects; infrastructure, staffing and workflows; digital curation tools; curatorial considerations; internships, residencies and research opportunities; and local and international collaborations. . . .

Breakout sessions on the last afternoon moved the discussions from conceptual to pragmatic.

See also: Storified Tweets from Summit.

Digital Curation and Digital Preservation Works | Charles W. Bailey, Jr., Digital Artist | Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

"Translating Theory to Practice: Defining Digital Preservation Planning in Museums"

Emma Palakika James has self-archived "Translating Theory to Practice: Defining Digital Preservation Planning in Museums."

Here's an excerpt:

In this thesis, digital preservation in museums is examined, specifically the development, planning, and implementation of digital preservation initiatives. First, a literature review of digital preservation basics, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and digital preservation policy is presented, followed by case studies of three best-practicing museums. Four key themes are discussed, including defining digital preservation, integration of digital preservation technology, collaboration, and policy development. Finally, several conclusions and recommendations are presented, most notably that digital preservation in a museum context must be viewed and implemented from a collections management perspective.

Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Sitemap

Omeka Everywhere Development Funded by IMLS

The Institute of Museum and Library Sciences has funded the development of Omeka Everywhere.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, in partnership with Ideum and the University of Connecticut's Digital Media Center, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a National Leadership Grant for Museums from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences to create Omeka Everywhere. Dramatically increasing the possibilities for visitor access to collections, Omeka Everywhere will offer a simple, cost-effective solution for connecting onsite web content and in-gallery multi-sensory experiences, affordable to museums of all sizes and missions, by capitalizing on the strengths of two successful collections-based open-source software projects: Omeka and Open Exhibits.

Digital Scholarship | "A Quarter-Century as an Open Access Publisher"

"The Public Domain vs. The Museum: The Limits of Copyright and Reproductions of Two-Dimensional Works of Art"

Grischka Petri has self-archived "The Public Domain vs. The Museum: The Limits of Copyright And Reproductions of Two-Dimensional Works of Art."

Here's an excerpt:

The problem of museums and public institutions handling reproductions of works in their collections is not only a legal question but also one of museum ethics. Public museums are committed to spreading knowledge and to making their collections accessible. When it comes to images of their holdings, however, they often follow a restrictive policy. Even for works in the public domain they claim copyright for their reproductive photographs. This paper offers an analysis of the different interests at stake, a short survey of important cases, and practical recommendations.

Digital Scholarship | "A Quarter-Century as an Open Access Publisher"

Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age

The Smithsonian has released the Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age by G. Wayne Clough.

Here's an excerpt:

The review in this document illustrates how many cultural institutions have already found innovative applications for digital technology, but it is more than just a matter of "using." Digital technology will also change the basics of how these institutions work as we move forward. Collections will be shared across institutions through the linked data cloud; the public will participate in the creative activities of cultural institutions through engagement platforms; and informal education will merge with formal education. Cultural change is never easy, and while an institution might be able to avoid it for a while, this time it will be so big that no one will escape in the long run.

Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Sitemap

Johns Hopkins University Offers Digital Curation Certificate Program

Johns Hopkins University has established a Digital Curation Certificate program.

Here's an excerpt from the announcement:

The Johns Hopkins University Certificate in Digital Curation, offered through the online graduate program in Museum Studies, advances the education and training of museum professionals worldwide in this emerging field.

This certificate offers a specialized curriculum that is critically needed in the museum field. It will prepare current and aspiring museum professionals to manage the growing volume and variety of digital data of long-term value that museums are now producing, acquiring, storing and sharing with researchers, educators and the public. It will train students to work with digital collections, exhibitions, and research data that will ensure the longevity of our global cultural heritage of which museums are the stewards.

Digital Scholarship | Digital Scholarship Publications Overview | Sitemap

Social Metadata for Libraries, Archives, and Museums. Part 3: Recommendations and Readings

OCLC Research has released Social Metadata for Libraries, Archives, and Museums. Part 3: Recommendations and Readings.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

In the first report, the 21-member Social Metadata Working Group reviewed 76 sites relevant to libraries, archives, and museums that supported such social media features as tagging, comments, reviews, images, videos, ratings, recommendations, lists, links to related articles, etc. The results from a survey of site managers conducted in October-November 2009 were included in the second report. Social Metadata for Libraries, Archives and Museums, Part 3: Recommendations and Readings provides recommendations on social metadata features most relevant to libraries, archives, and museums and an annotated reading list of the literature consulted during this research. Social Metadata for Libraries, Archives and Museums: Executive Summary provides a high-level overview of all three reports. The group's final recommendation is that it is riskier to do nothing and become irrelevant to our user communities than to start using social media features.

Also available: Social Metadata for Libraries, Archives and Museums: Executive Summary."

| Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography 2010 | Digital Scholarship |

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